London
Doing time for packing heatAnyone caught with a handgun will soon get a minimum sentence of five years in prison, British Home Secretary David Blunkett said this week. Handguns are already illegal in the U.K. But since New Year’s Eve, when two teenage girls were killed in the crossfire of a gang fight in Birmingham, British politicians have been lamenting the growing use of guns by criminals and gangs. Culture Minister Kim Howells blamed violent lyrics sung by “boasting, macho, idiot rappers.” Such lyrics, he said, “have created a culture where killing is almost a fashion accessory.” In the U.K., there are 1.3 firearm homicides per million residents each year, compared with 62.4 in the U.S.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
-
American universities are losing ground to their foreign counterpartsThe Explainer While Harvard is still near the top, other colleges have slipped
-
How to navigate dating apps to find ‘the one’The Week Recommends Put an end to endless swiping and make real romantic connections
